lady baltimore-第5部分

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　uttered　by　the　lips　of　the　lady。　〃And　so　you　know　about　his　wedding　cake？〃

〃My　dear　madam；　I　feel　that　I　shall　know　about　everything。〃

Her　gray　eyes　looked　at　me　quietly　for　a　moment。　〃That　is　possible。　But　although　we　may　talk　of　ourselves　to　you；　we　scarcely　expect　you　to　talk　of　ourselves　to　us。〃

Well；　my　pertness　had　brought　me　this　quite　properly！　And　I　received　it　properly。　〃I　should　never　dream〃　I　hastened　to　say；　〃even　without　your　warning。　I　find　I'm　expected　to　have　seen　the　young　lady　of　his　choice；〃　I　now　threw　out。　My　accidental　words　proved　as　miraculous　as　the　staff　which　once　smote　the　rock。　It　was　a　stream；　indeed；　which　now　broke　forth　from　her　stony　discretion。　She　began　easily。　〃It　is　evident　that　you　have　not　seen　Miss　Rieppe　by　the　manner　in　which　you　allude　to　heralthough　of　course；　in　comparison　with　my　age；　she　is　a　young　girl。〃　I　think　that　this　caused　me　to　open　my　mouth。

〃The　disparity　between　her　years　and　my　nephew's　is　variously　stated；〃　continued　the　old　lady。　〃But　since　John's　engagement　we　have　all　of　us　realized　that　love　is　truly　blind。〃

I　did　not　open　my　mouth　any　more；　but　my　mind's　mouth　was　wide　open。

My　hostess　kept　it　so。　〃Since　John　Mayrant　was　fifteen　he　has　had　many　loves；　and　for　myself；　knowing　him　and　believing　in　him　as　I　do；　I　feel　confident　that　he　will　make　no　connection　distasteful　to　the　family　when　he　really　comes　to　marry。〃

This　time　I　gasped　outright。　〃Butthe　cake！next　Wednesday！〃

She　made；　with　her　small　white　hand；　a　slight　and　slighting　gesture。　〃The　cake　is　not　baked　yet；　and　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃　From　this　onward　until　the　end　a　pinkness　mounted　in　her　pale；　delicate　cheeks；　and　deep；　strong　resentment　burned　beneath　her　discreetly　expressed　indiscretions。　〃The　cake　is　not　baked；　and　I；　at　least；　am　not　solicitous。　I　tell　my　cousin；　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael；　that　she　must　not　forget　it　was　merely　his　phosphates。　That　girl　would　never　have　looked　at　John　Mayrant　had　it　not　been　for　the　rumor　of　his　phosphates。　I　suppose　some　one　has　explained　to　you　her　pretensions　of　birth。　Away　from　Kings　Port　she　may　pass　for　a　native　of　this　place；　but　they　come　from　Georgia。　It　cannot　be　said　that　she　has　met　with　encouragement　from　us；　she；　however；　easily　recovers　from　such　things。　The　present　generation　of　young　people　in　Kings　Port　has　little　enough　to　remind　us　of　what　we　stood　for　in　manners　and　customs；　but　we　are　not　accountable　for　her；　nor　for　her　father。　I　believe　that　he　is　called　a　general。　His　conduct　at　Chattanooga　was　conspicuous　for　personal　prudence。　Both　of　them　are　skillful　in　never　knowing　poor　peoplebut　the　　Northerners　they　consort　with　must　really　be　at　a　loss　how　to　bestow　their　money。　Of　course；　such　Northerners　cannot　realize　the　difference　between　Kings　Port　and　Georgia；　and　consequently　they　make　much　of　her。　Her　features　do　undoubtedly　possess　beauty。　A　Newport　womanthe　new　kindhas　even　taken　her　to　Worth！　And　yet；　after　all；　she　has　remained　for　John。　We　heard　a　great　deal　of　her　men；　too。　She　took　care　of　that；　of　course。　John　Mayrant　actually　followed　her　to　Newport。

〃But；〃　I　couldn't　help　crying　out；　〃I　thought　he　was　so　poor！〃

〃The　phosphates；〃　my　hostess　explained。　〃They　had　been　discovered　on　his　land。　And　none　of　her　New　York　men　had　come　forward。　So　John　rushed　back　happy。〃　At　this　point　a　very　singular　look　came　over　the　face　of　my　hostess；　and　she　continued：　〃There　have　been　many　false　reports　（and　false　hopes　in　consequence）　based　upon　the　phosphate　discoveries。　It　was　I　who　had　to　break　it　to　himwhat　further　investigation　had　revealed。　Poor　John！〃

〃He　has；　then；　nothing？〃　I　inquired。

〃His　position　in　the　Custom　House；　and　a　penny　or　two　from　his　mother's　fortune。〃

〃But　the　cake？〃　I　now　once　again　reminded　her。

My　hostess　lifted　her　delicate　hand　and　let　it　fall。　Her　resentment　at　the　would…be　intruder　by　marriage　still　mounted。　〃Not　even　from　that　pair　would　I　have　believed　such　a　thing　possible！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　she　went　into　a　long；　low；　contemplative　laugh；　looking　not　at　me；　but　at　the　fire。　Our　silent　companion　continued　to　embroider。　〃That　girl；〃　my　hostess　resumed；　〃and　her　discreditable　father　played　on　my　nephew's　youth　and　chivalry　to　the　tune　ofwell；　you　have　heard　the　tune。〃

〃You　meanyou　mean？〃　I　couldn't　quite　take　it　in。

〃Yes。　They　rattled　their　poverty　at　him　until　he　offered　and　they　accepted。〃

I　must　have　stared　grotesquely　now。　〃Thatthatthe　cakeand　that　sort　of　thingat　his　expense？

〃My　dear　sir；　I　shall　be　glad　if　you　can　find　me　anything　that　they　have　ever　done　at　their　own　expense！〃

I　doubt　if　she　would　ever　have　permitted　her　speech　such　freedom　had　not　the　Rieppes　been　〃from　Georgia〃；　I　am　sure　that　it　was　angerfamily　anger；　race　angerwhich　had　broken　forth；　and　I　think　that　her　silent；　severe　sister　scarcely　approved　of　such　breaking　forth　to　me；　a　stranger。　But　indignation　had　worn　her　reticence　thin；　and　I　had　happened　to　press　upon　the　weak　place。　After　my　burst　of　exclamation　I　came　back　to　it。　〃So　you　think　Miss　Rieppe　will　get　out　of　it？〃

〃It　is　my　nephew　who　will　'get　out　of　it；'　as　you　express　it。〃

I　totally　misunderstood　her。　〃Oh！〃　I　protested　stupidly。　〃He　doesn't　look　like　that。　And　it　takes　all　meaning　from　the　cake。〃

〃Do　not　say　cake　to　me　again！〃　said　the　lady；　smiling　at　last。　〃Andwill　you　allow　me　to　tell　you　that　I　do　not　need　to　have　my　nephew；　John　Mayrant；　explained　to　me　by　any　one？　I　merely　meant　to　say　that　he；　and　not　she；　is　the　person　who　will　make　the　lucky　escape。　Of　course；　he　is　honorablea　great　deal　too　much　so　for　his　own　good。　It　is　a　misfortune；　nowadays；　to　be　born　a　gentleman　in　America。　But；　as　I　told　you；　I　am　not　solicitous。　What　she　is　counting　onbecause　she　thinks　she　understands　true　Kings　Port　honor；　and　does　not　in　the　leastis　his　renouncing　her　on　account　of　the　phosphatesthe　bad　news；　I　mean。　They　could　live　on　what　he　hasnot　at　all　in　her　way；　thoughand　besides；　after　once　offering　his　genuine；　ardent；　foolish　lovefor　it　was　genuine　enough　at　the　timeJohn　would　never〃

She　stopped；　but　I　took　her　up。　〃Did　I　understand　you　to　say　that　his　love　was　genuine　at　the　lime？〃

〃Oh；　he　thinks　it　is　nowinsists　it　is　now！　That　is　just　precisely　what　would　make　himdo　you　not　see？stick　to　his　colors　all　the　closer。〃

〃Goodness！〃　I　murmured。〃　What　a　predicament！〃

But　my　hostess　nodded　easily。　〃Oh；　no。　You　will　see。　They　will　all　see。〃

I　rose　to　take　my　leave；　my　visit；　indeed；　had　been；　for　very　interest；　prolonged　beyond　the　limits　of　formalitymy　hostess　had　attended　quite　thoroughly　to　my　being　entertained。　And　at　this　point　the　other；　the　more　severe　and　elderly　lady；　made　her　contribution　to　my　entertainment。　She　had　kept　silence；　I　now　felt　sure；　because　gossip　was　neither　her　habit　nor　to　her　liking。　Possibly　she　may　have　also　felt　that　her　displeasure　had　been　too　manifest；　at　any　rate；　she　spoke　out　of　her　silence　in　cold；　yet　rich；　symmetrical　tones。

〃This；　I　understand；　is　your　first　visit　to　Kings　Port？〃

I　told　her　that　it　was。

She　laid　down　her　exquisite　embroidery。　〃It　has　been　thought　a　place　worth　seeing。　There　is　no　town　of　such　historic　interest　at　the　North。〃

Standing　by　my　chair；　I　assured　her　that　I　did　not　think　there　could　be。

〃I　heard　you　allude　to　my　half…sister…in…law；　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael。　It　was　at　the　house　where　she　now　lives　that　the　famous　Miss　Beaufain　（as　she　was　then）　put　the　Earl　of　Mainridge　in　his　place；　at　the　reception　which　her　father　gave　the　English　visitor　in　1840。　The　Earl　conducted　himself　as　so　many　Englishmen　seem　to　think　they　can　in　this　country；　and　on　her　asking　him　how　he　liked　America；　he　replied；　very　well；　except　for　the　people；　who　were　so　vulgar。

〃'What　can　you　expect？'　said　Miss　Beaufain；　'we're　descended　from　the　English。'〃

〃But　I　suppose　you　will　tell　me　that　your　Northern　beauties　can　easily　outmatch　such　wit。〃

I　hastened　to　disclaim　any　such　pretension；　and　having　expressed　my　appreciation　of　the　anecdote；　I　moved　to　the　door　as　the　stately　lady　resumed　her　embroidery。

My　hostess　had　a　last　word　for　me。　〃Do　not　let　the　cake　worry　you。〃

Outside　the　handsome　old　iron　gate　I　looked　at　my　watch　and　found　that　for　this　day　I　could　spend　no　more　time　upon　visiting。



IV：　THE　GIRL　BEHIND　THE　COUNTERI

I　fearno；　to　say　one　〃fears〃　that　one　has　stepped　aside　from　the　narrow　path　of　duty；　when　one　knows　perfectly　well　that　one　has　done　so；　is　a　ridiculous　half…dodging　of　the　truth；　let　me　dismiss　from　my　service　such　a　cowardly　circumlocution；　and　squarely　say　that　I　neglected　the　Cowpens　during　certain　days　which　now　followed。　Nay；　more；　I　totally　deserted　them。　Although　I　feel　quite　sure　that　to　discover　one　is　a　real　king's　descendant　must　bring　an　exultation　of　no　mean　order　to　the　heart；　there's　no　exultation　whatever　in　failing　to　discover　this；　day　after　day。　Mine　is　a　nature　which　demands　results；　or　at　any　rate　signs　of　results　coming　sooner　or　later。　Even　the　most　abandoned　fisherman　requires　a　bite　now　and　then；　but　my　fishing　for　Fannings　had　not　yet　brought　me　one　single　nibbleand　I　gave　up　the　sad　sport　for　a　while。　The　beautiful　weather　took　me　out　of　doors　over　the　land；　and　also　over　the　water；　for　I　am　a　great　lover　of　sailing；　and　I　found　a　little　cat…boat　and　a　little　negro；　both　of　which　suited　me　very　well。　I　spent　many　delightful　hours　in　their　company　among　the　deeps　and　shallows　of　these　fair　Southern　waters。

And　indoors；　also；　I　made　most　agreeable　use　of　my　time；　in　spite　of　one　disappointment　when；　on　the　day　following　my　visit　to　the　ladies；　I　re…　turned　full　of　expectancy　to　lunch　at　the　Woman's　exchange；　the　girl　behind　the　counter　was　not　there。　I　found　in　her　stead；　it　is　true；　a　most　polite　lady；　who　provided　me　with　chocolate　and　sandwiches　that　were　just　as　good　as　their　predecessors；　but　she　was　of　advanced　years；　and　little　inclined　to　light　conversation。　Beyond　telling　me　that　Miss　Eliza　La　Heu　was　indisposed；　but　not　gravely　so；　and　that　she　was　not　likely　to　be　long　away　from　her　post　of　duty；　this　lady　furnished　me　with　scant　information。

Now　I　desired　a　great　deal　of　information。　To　learn　of　an　imminent　wedding　where　the　bridegroom　attends　to　the　cake；　and　is　suspe